


The Hogwarts Professors

by cheshire60c



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Awkward Romance, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Love Confessions, Romance, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:43:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28829850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheshire60c/pseuds/cheshire60c
Summary: Draco Malfoy has returned to Hogwarts to teach Potions. Not all faculty and students are eager to welcome him, however. Least of all, the Herbology professor, Neville Longbottom. Despite the hostility, Draco feels a certain pull towards the Care of Magical Creatures professor, who happens to wear radishes for earrings...
Relationships: Luna Lovegood/Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	The Hogwarts Professors

“The Hogwarts Professors”

Chapter One

Draco Malfoy dreaded his first day as the new Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Oh, no doubt the students would be annoying, but he was sure he could handle them. It was the staff that Draco dreaded. Headmistress Sprout was kind enough to appoint a former Death Eater who’d seen the error of his ways. Draco wasn’t sure the rest of the faculty would emulate the old Hufflepuff witch’s benevolence.

He took a deep breath before opening the doors to the Great Hall. Whispers broke out and students from all houses stared and pointed as Draco made the long walk up to the High Table. He pursed his lips, pulled on a loose strand of his pale blond hair, and kept his eyes to the floor.

“Draco! Welcome, welcome!” Headmistress Sprout engulfed him in a crushing hug. Draco blushed as he heard several of the teachers try and hold back their laughter. His eyes spanned over the table and he saw several unfamiliar faces and two familiar ones––the only two who didn’t find the situation all that funny. Sitting side by side were Neville Longbottom and that strange Ravenclaw girl, Luna Lovegood. Draco cringed, remembering the time his family had kidnapped her and kept her in their basement at Malfoy Manor. His heart sank as he realized he would never be able to live down his past.

The only empty seat at the table was beside Luna. He avoided her gaze and quietly sat down next to her. She smelled like honey, and lavender, and… _radishes?_ He stiffened as he felt her turn towards him.

“How have you b–”

_Clink, clink, clink!_ Luna was interrupted by Headmistress Sprout. It was time for the welcoming address. Draco exhaled, shoved some roast potatoes in his mouth, and tried to focus on the Headmistress’s speech.

~

Two months. Draco had been teaching at Hogwarts two entire months, and he hadn’t made a single friend. All of the staff avoided him. Except Luna, the Care of Magical Creatures professor. But whenever she tried talking to him at breakfast or dinner, Neville would always interrupt to update her on the latest condition of his precious Puffapods, or Mandrakes, or a group of particularly mischievous Fanged Geraniums. Luna paid Neville her full attention, staring at him with her large, silver eyes, and laughing her whimsical, dreamy laugh at all his boring jokes.

Draco never saw her outside of the Great Hall. Whenever he wasn’t teaching or eating, he remained shut up in his office in the dungeons. Professor Snape’s old office. Growing up, Draco never thought he’d eventually _become_ his old mentor and favourite professor. He made a conscious effort to avoid any hair gel or grease. He ruffled up his hair every morning, not caring the least bit about it looking like a ridiculous blond mop.

Unbeknownst to Draco, Luna’s silver eyes often found themselves transfixed by the loose strand of blond hair that fell at a perfect angle over his forehead. Neville always noticed her wandering gaze, however.

~

Draco ventured out of the dungeons on an unexpectedly warm January afternoon. He told himself he would just make a few rounds around the courtyard, but soon found himself heading towards the Forbidden Forest. It was as if he was Imperiused. But he knew it was the pull of a certain pair of bright silver eyes and dangling radish earrings.

Several third-year Gryffindors and Slytherins filed out of the forest as Draco made his way between the trees. He reached a clearing deep within the forest. Sunlight illuminated the trees and shone down in patches on the ground. Luna was hunched beside a cluster of Hippogriffs, stroking the beak of one of the small ones. Her waist-length, dirty blonde hair fell in waves, trailing an inch above the ground.

“Have you ever ridden one?” Luna asked, without turning towards Draco.

“I-I tried to…once. It didn’t go so well,” he replied.

“No, it didn’t. Especially for Hagrid.” Luna faced him now, a hint of a pout forming on her lips. “Or Buckbeak. Hermione told me all about it. You weren’t a very nice person back then, were you, Draco?”

“No, I wasn’t. And I feel awful about everything! I promise. I-I was a total git. And I’m sorry about what happened when-when you…”

“Oh, that. Well, the Wrackspurts kept me company. And Mr. Ollivander was ever so nice.” Luna tucked her wand behind her ear and went back to stroking the Hippogriff’s beak.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

“Does your family still live there? The basement was quite cold, you know. Have you heard of the _Ignitus Calorus_ spell? It can bewitch any room to warm up whenever a person enters,” Luna frowns suddenly. “A _person_. It doesn’t work on creatures. But that’s quite silly! What if a Crumple-Horned Snorkack were to enter? Oh, what a horrid spell!”

“–I saw one.”

“Saw what?”

“A Crumple-Horned Snorkack. I went to Sweden last year, searching for some Liverleaf for a healing potion. And I saw it. It was large, and purple, and incredibly hideous.”

“Oh!” Luna gasped. “I knew they were real! I knew it!” Luna burst into loud, musical laughter, a sound Draco had longed to be the recipient of for months.

“Do you want to meet Flutterwings?” Luna grabbed Draco’s hand and led him towards the small Hippogriff. Flutterwings took a step back and grunted.

“Now, remember to be gentle. He’s quite shy. You have to show some respect to earn his trust. Make eye contact, and don’t blink too much.”

Draco’s heart hammered as he looked directly into the Hippogriff’s sharp, orange eyes. Flutterwings flitted his head towards Draco and stared back.

“Now bow…” Luna whispered.

Draco bent his head. He waited for what seemed like ages, until Luna uttered a small cry of delight. Draco looked up to see Flutterwings with his knees digging into the ground, bowing back.

“Well done!” Luna clapped.

Draco breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. He slowly reached out his hand and patted Flutterwing’s beak.

~

Neville Longbottom had exceeded expectations. He had proven himself to be Frank and Alice Longbottom’s son. He stood up to, and helped defeat, the darkest wizard of all time. He destroyed a horcrux. He fought Death Eaters. He co-led Dumbledore’s Army in his seventh year. He even realized his dream of becoming a Herbology professor at his favourite place on earth, Hogwarts.

He’d done everything except confess his love to Luna Lovegood.

Neville hid behind a large tree near the clearing in the Forbidden Forest. His heart ached as he looked upon Luna and Draco laughing together. _Malfoy_. How could she laugh with _him_ , of all people? He felt like going up to her and shaking her out of whatever spell she was under.

He’d practiced asking her out for weeks. _“Would you like to go to Hogsmeade next weekend? We could try the new Frozen Unicorn Butterbeer! I’ve heard it’s delicious…”_

All his hopes disappeared. His heart twisted when he saw Luna caress a loose strand of hair near Draco’s forehead. She leaned closer…and closer. Neville couldn’t bear to watch anymore. He turned to go back but stumbled on a stout, protruding tree root and fell on a heap of dry leaves. A loud crunching sound reverberated across the clearing.

“Neville!” Luna gasped.

“L-Luna! P-Professor Malfoy––oh, I’m alright, don’t worry,” Neville sprang to his feet and tried to compose himself. “I was just, uh…” His face bypassed pink and went straight to a deep crimson.

“Neville, I was just introducing Draco to Flutterwings,” Luna announced in a voice several pitches higher than usual. Draco cleared his throat.

“Right. Well, um, I just came by to ask whether you would like to see my new _mimbulus mimbletonia_ plant. You said you hadn’t seen one since the first time we met on t-the Hogwarts Express. It’s got _loads_ of boils and, um…tons of Stinksap.” Neville scratched his head. “So, uh, come by the greenhouse whenever you wish.” He laughed nervously. “I’d best be off then.” With a slight nod to Draco, Neville bundled back towards the castle. Luna stared after him, perplexed.

***End of Chapter One***

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure if I'll continue with the story, but I thought I'd share the first chapter.


End file.
